https://www.census.gov/about/our-research/race-ethnicity.html

Background:

The United States Census Bureau has a long history of conducting research to improve questions and data on race and ethnicity. Since the first census in 1790, the Census Bureau has collected information on race/ethnicity and the census form has reflected changes in society and shifts that have occurred in the way the Census Bureau classifies race and ethnicity. Since the 1970s, the Census Bureau has conducted content tests to research and improve the design and function of different questions, including questions on race and ethnicity. Today, the Census Bureau collects race and ethnic data following U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidelines, and these data are based upon self-identification.

One challenge we currently face is how Americans view “race” and “ethnicity” differently than in decades past. In our diverse society, a growing number of people find the current race and ethnic categories confusing, or they wish to see their own specific group reflected on the census questionnaire. Our research has found that over time, there have been a growing number of people who do not identify with any of the official OMB race categories, and this means that an increasing number of respondents have been racially classified as “Some Other Race.” In fact, in 2000 and in 2010, the Some Other Race (SOR) population, which was intended to be a small residual category, was the third largest race group. This was primarily due to reporting by Hispanics, who make up the overwhelming majority of those classified as SOR, not identifying with any of the OMB race categories. In addition, segments of other populations, such as Afro-Caribbean and Middle Eastern or North African populations, did not identify with any of the OMB race categories and identified as SOR.

Overview:

Since the 1970s, the Census Bureau has conducted decennial content tests to research and improve the design and function of different questions, including questions on race and ethnicity. As our population grows more diverse, we want to ensure that the data we collect accurately reflects how the people living in our country identify themselves. 

Recently, the Census Bureau undertook a critical middecade study to test alternative versions of the race and ethnicity questions. The goal is to improve question design and data quality for the 2020 Census. Building on the foundation and successful strategies of the 2010 Census Alternative Questionnaire Experiment Research on Race and Hispanic Origin, the 2015 National Content Test is helping refine our previous efforts to address race and ethnicity reporting issues and important racial/ethnic community concerns. 

https://www.census.gov/newsroom/blogs/research-matters/2015/11/improving-our-nations-data-on-race-and-ethnicity.html

Census Search Portal

https://www.census.gov/data.html

2019 US Census Data on Foreign Born (Selected Characteristics of The Foreign-Born Population By Period of Entry Into The United States. 

Survey/Program: American Community Survey 

---WORLD REGION OF BIRTH OF FOREIGN BORN 2019 Census

        Foreign-born population excluding population born at sea total #:  44,932,799

      Africa 5.5 % (2,471,304)

      Latin America 50.3 (22,601,197)        

https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=african%20immigrants&g=0100000US&tid=ACSST1Y2019.S0502&hidePreview=false